Donnie Yen, born on the 27th of July, 1963, is a Chinese actor, martial artist, director, producer and choreographer, probably best known for his series of films “Ip Man”.
So how much is Yen’s net worth? As of early 2016, it is reported to be over $40 million, gained mostly from his long career both in front of and behind the camera, from acting to choreographing fight scenes.
Donnie Yen Net Worth $40 Million Dollars
Born in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, Yen is the son of Bow-Sim Mark and Kluster Yen. At the age of two, his family moved to Hong Kong, until finally when he was twelve, they settled in Boston, Massachusetts in the United States. Due to his mother’s influence – she is a Tai Chi grandmaster – Yen took an interest in learning the art and other forms and styles as well. Yen took a special interest in Wushu, and would spent most of his time in the Boston Combat Zone. His parents then sent him to Beijing, China for a two-year training program in the Beijing Wushu Team, for him to avoid being included in gang violence and so that he could focus on his art.
After his training in China, en route to the United States, Yen made a stopover in Hong Kong where he met Yuen Woo-ping who would introduce him to the world of movies. Yuen is an action choreographer and director who helped Yen to do some screen tests, and he ended up being cast to some films.
In 1984, Yen debuted in the movie “Drunken Tai Chi”, but his breakthrough movie was in the film “Once Upon a Time in China II” in which he starred opposite another martial artist Jet Li. Their well choreographed fight scenes became a huge hit among fans, and gained a cult following. Yen later made a series of successful films including “Iron Monkey”, “Legend of the Wolf” and “Ballistic Kiss”, the last two under his own production company, Bullet Films. His early years of independent film-making certainly helped in his net worth.
Because of his natural talent in martial arts, Yen was invited to choreograph fight scenes in Hollywood films, including in “Highlander: Endgame” and “Blade II”, in which he also made guest appearances. He returned to Hong Kong and starred in films like ‘Seven Swords”, “SPL: Shao Po Lang” and “Dragon Tiger Gate” to name a few, but in 2008, his film “Ip Man”, became a huge hit not only in Hong Kong and China but around the world. The success of the film spawned two sequels and helped tremendously in growing Yen’s wealth.
Today, Yen has made over 60 films and is reported to soon star in much anticipated films like “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny” and “XXX: The Return of Xander Cage”.
In terms of his personal life, Yen was married before to Jowan Leung Sing-Si in 1994, but the marriage only lasted a year; together they have one son. In 2003, he married Cecilia Wang and they have two children, Jasmine and James.
Academy Awards for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar (2003), Hong Kong Film Award for Best Action Choreography, Golden Horse Awards for the Best Action Choreography, Beijing College Student Film Festival (2009), Taurus World Stunt Awards, Huabiao Film Award for the Best Actor (2009), The 3rd Mac...
Record Labels
"Bullet Films"
Nominations
6th Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo, Black Belt in Judo, Purple Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Gold Medals in Wushu
Movies
"Onimusha 3", “Drunken Tai Chi”, “Once Upon a Time in China II”, “Iron Monkey”, “Legend of the Wolf”, “Ballistic Kiss”, "Legend of the Wolf" (1997), "Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen" (2010), "Dragon Tiger Gate", "Flash Point" (2007), "The Expendables 2" (2011), "The ...
TV Shows
The Kung Fu Master, Fei Fu Kwan Ying, Mo Min Kap Sin Fung, The Crime File, The New Life
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Trademark
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Some of his films shows him sitting on antagonists' bodies after beating them up.
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Likes to kick away objects either off ground or in the air during his fight scenes.
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Uses slow-motion for certain takes during his fight scenes to showcase the power of techniques done by actors he works with.
Started utilizing MMA in his fight scenes more often after making SPL: Sha po lang (2005). This can be seen in all of his contemporary action films that followed suit.
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Usually makes soft "o-faces" during his fight scenes, similar to Bruce Lee's facial expression doing the famous high-pitched battle scream.
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Includes parkour in between his fight scenes.
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His characters - whenever he's playing lead or co-lead roles - are often given late introductions in the beginning of his films.
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His fight scenes often involve people hitting each other's fists and kicks at the same time, or each other one after another.
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Started utilizing the "chain punching" technique more often in some of his recent films after the big success of Yip Man (2008), Also likes to execute few other punching techniques in his fight scenes, such as "wind-up"- and "superman" punches.
Likes to execute various kicking techniques - including jumping splits-kick, jumping front-kick, jumping back-kick while running forward and chain-kicks while moving forward
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Known for playing tough and impulsive characters in his films.
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Likes to choreograph realistic, creative and unconventional fight scenes
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(On the difference of working in Hong Kong and overseas) Two big differences: time and money! Actually, time, because you can give me all the money in the world and, if I don't have enough time, I can't give you a great action scene. The big difference in Asia is that the action director has complete control over that aspect of the film, from concept to shooting to editing. The Hollywood system is much more organized, and you have to deal with all these different producers etc. In some ways, that can be good. The development of scripts and the overall preparation for a film is definitely better in Hollywood. We have to try and bring the best from east and west together.
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(On the action choreography of Dou fo sin (2007)) The real challenge was in meeting my own expectations. I have such huge respect for MMA fighters, and I was determined that we should make every effort to present their art cinematically, without compromising on the techniques and "reality" of what they do. I underwent MMA training, I watched hours of fight footage and, in the end, I think we came close to capturing the MMA flavor in our fight scenes. The biggest challenge, for me was doing repeated takes of the movements that I choreographed for myself. Sometimes it really did feel like I'd been in a real fight!
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(On the difference of working as action director in Hong Kong and Hollywood) I think it's a difference between the way action is treated in Hong Kong and in Hollywood. In Hong Kong, my job is to "direct" the action, and when I'm shooting the fight sequences, I take over the set. I choose the camera angles and see how the drama intercuts with the action. In Hollywood, you "choreograph" working with the main director. In the old days of Hong Kong action cinema, when the action director worked, the "drama" director went home!
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(On working overseas again) Anything goes! With the right project, right script I'll do it! But you can only make so many films a year; you have to choose the one that you want to make!
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(On exploring different movie roles outside MA movies) Yes, if someone wants to hire me, why not? Why not get paid the same and have less of a physical demand? But I would absolutely not stop. It's great to do martial arts films, and rep martial arts films, and be a successful icon, and set trends. I feel it's an honor to set a trend in the martial arts film world.
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(On working locally and overseas) I don't identify a project as a Hong Kong project or a Hollywood project or whatever. The world's getting closer and closer. Who would think that "Crouching Tiger" would win an Oscar as Best Foreign Film? If the film is a good film, it will be seen by the world. I don't know where my home is. If it requires me to do a production in Europe, I go to Europe. If it's in Asian countries, I'll be in Asian countries.
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(On working with Jet Li) Ten years ago we did a film called "Once Upon A Time In China, Part II" and it raised the bar of martial arts standard and I was nominated as best supporting actor. "Hero" was a 10-year reunion for us. So we came in as a kind of expectation from the fans. The difference between the two times is the first time we had a rivalry going because I guess we were younger and it was our first time working with each other. But this time was more of a collaboration. We just wanted to make the best action sequence ever.
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When you watch my films, you're feeling my heart.
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(On martial arts training) Music and movement are both expressions of the same basic human energy. They are like paints used to color the screen.
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(On changing generic fight choreography) Nowadays, martial arts directors go along with the advancement in filming techniques. We can use some techniques to coordinate with non-martial artists. In my early days with Yuen Wo Ping, technology was rather backward, whatever we did depended on the raw skills of the actors themselves; but the actors nowadays are exceptionally fortunate. They could rely on editing, doubles, wires, and even special effects to make them look like they could fight well. But I believe, now that the audiences seek authenticity in martial arts, they could be cast aside. That's why we are looking into real combat.
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(On learning from veteran Hong Kong action directors) Of course it's Yuen Wo Ping. He brought me into the circle. Some of his filming techniques and styles bear great influence on me. Actually, I admire the techniques of other martial arts directors too; they have their own unique ways of handling action scenes. I hope to learn from them. This is my pursuit of martial arts all along - mixed martial arts.
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(On the inspiration of becoming a director) I have always been a rebel, in my whole entire life, since I was just a martial artist. I always have questions in the back of my mind. Why does it have to be this way? Can it be that way? I always try to question and challenge that system and I guess that kind of attitude I brought into the film industry when I was just an actor. I see different films; I see how a director or choreographer would choreograph it. And I say to myself "it can be improved, it can be better and in less time". Or I'd wonder "how come this film is a good film and the other one a bad film, when the budget is not much different?" There are certain techniques, a certain system. When I was an action choreographer, when I used to work for Yuen Woo Ping, I used to grab a whole team of people and just raise questions. To the photographer, or to Yuen Woo Ping: "could it be that way? Could be it, be that? Why not try it this way?" Very soon, I established a kind of trust from Yuen Woo Ping, because I made a lot of his films happen with my suggestions.
Is credited as the first martial arts actor/action director to incorporate modern MMA in Asian action cinema, starting with Vampire Effect (2003) and followed by SPL: Sha po lang (2005), Dou fo sin (2007), and Te shu shen fen (2013).
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Got into a feud with his mentor, Woo-Ping Yuen, during shooting of Wing Chun (1994). While the incident was officially never explained, some people believe it was creative differences over the fight choreography that caused them to part ways. However, Woo Ping revealed in a 2011 interview that their relationship is good now and they still keep in touch from time to time.
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Was part of a Chinatown gang (non-organized street gang) in Boston, MA, in his early years. Due to his profound background in practical martial arts, he had a reputation as a street brawler. While Yen's degree/mastery of overall fighting ability is unknown, there's one reported occasion that confirms him being an efficient martial artist/self-defender. According to news reports by Hong Kong news channels in the late 1990s, he went clubbing with his then girlfriend, Yee-Man Man, and once inside the nightclub his girlfriend got harassed by a troublesome gang who took an interest in her. Yen warned them of leaving them alone but to no success. As they got out, the gang followed them and proceeded to prevent Yen from intervening by attacking him. This resulted in Yen beating the assailants up in self-defense and getting arrested by the police but was released the next day. This incident is still known in Hong Kong to this day - with people bringing it up in discussions concerning real fights as well as in relation to comparing credible fighting skills of various Hong Kong martial arts actors.
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Cites Jet Li as his favorite among all martial arts actors he has worked with in his entire career.
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After more than two decades of working in Hong Kong, Yen finally got his major breakthrough in Yip Man (2008) and started being offered various big-budget projects by famous producers and directors in China and USA.
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Started working overseas as action director and small part actor on various film projects in early 2000s, in hope to learn more about film-making from different film markets and to achieve international success as an actor.
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After learning the Hong Kong style of action film-making from his mentor Woo-Ping Yuen, Yen developed a big interest in action choreographing fight scenes and started working behind the camera on various film projects in Hong Kong in mid 1990s.
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Started collaborating with director Wilson Yip on various film projects as leading actor and action director in the mid 2000s after meeting each other in the late 1990s. Yen was asked a favor by Yip to help out Daniel Lee with coordinating action scenes for Sing yuet tung wa (1999). Their collaborations have led to some of the finest Hong Kong action films made in last half of that decade.
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Started working on TV series in Hong Kong after offers for feature films slowly began diminishing for him in the mid 1990s.
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Donnie Yen received the Star Asia Award before the screening of Dragon (2011) at the New York Asian Film Festival on Monday, July 9, 2012.
Was recommended to Yimou Zhang by Jet Li to play the role of Sky in Ying xiong (2002). Zimou was desperate to look for a new actor to play the role after the original actor of choice was dismissed.
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Can also understand Shanghainese, because his wife's family is Shanghainese.
Michelle Yeoh considers him to be the fastest martial artist she has ever worked with.
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Was supposed to co-star with Brandon Lee in a sequel to Legacy of Rage (1986) but Lee's departure back to the States led to the idea being scrapped.
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Well trained in various martial arts styles, including wushu, tae kwon do, kick-boxing and boxing.
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Has a huge fanbase in Japan which has given him some opportunities to work behind the camera on not only movies but popular video games as well. He directed the cinematic intro sequence of Onimusha 3: Demon Siege (2004).
Sustained a heavy injury in his right shoulder while making Ching fung dik sau (1985) which still affects him to this day.
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Was sent to Beijing, China, to continue his martial arts training and avoid committing crimes with a street gang.
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Has a son from a previous marriage.
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His current wife Cissy Wang is 18 years his junior.
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Current wife Cissy Wang was the winner of the Miss Chinese Toronto Pageant 2000. She also represented Toronto in 2001 for the Miss Chinese International Pageant.
Can speak fluent Cantonese, English and Mandarin. Can also speak casual Korean, since he learned it as a requirement for his character during the filming of Qi jian (2005).
$40 Million
